Stud finders

[Mulgabill]

For memory there was a recent thread over on the Renovate Forum regarding stud finders.

[Handyjack]

I took one of our wall-mounted kitchen cupboards off the wall during recent renovations.....and behind it found a horizontal row of 20 or so holes (not exaggerating) in the plasterboard. It looks like someone machine-gunned the wall. Seems the original kitchen installers had neither a stud finder nor ears. If you drill enough holes you're sure to hit something, right?

Stud finders are a guide only. Depending on size and type of stud, the wall cladding, and what is behind the cladding; the stud finder may or may not find the stud. My cheap stud finder is pretty good, but in my own home struggles to locate studs. I have also seen lots of other things throw stud finders out, eg. plaster packing over a solid wall (no timber studs as such), or foil insulation.

If I was hanging cupboards, where the wall behind will not be seen (until the next renovation) does it matter if I drill a series of holes till I hit a stud. While studs are normally equally spaced, you may get one that is closer to one stud due to the length of the wall and all of a sudden where the stud should be it isn't.

There are good stud finders, so-so stud finders and others where you are just dropping your money.

[Ratbag]

I've found that fire proofing linings also render stud finders useless too.

In these circumstances I've found a neodymium magnet a great asset to pick up lines of embedded nails & screws.

In extremis, an (expensive) wall scanner works where all else fails. In concrete too!

[Robson Valley]

Ratbag has the right idea = if your wall coverings were installed with screws or nails, a good magnet can find the line of the stud. Pencil dot everytime you score.

I see that the stud finders now use some sort of ultrasonic technology. I wanted one for finding steel shot in a Canada Goose. Maybe a BBB, 5cm down. The "Little Wizard" was what I needed but the next time I looked, they were gone.